Alterations in Antihypertensive Therapy as a Possible Risk Factor for Inpatient Falls

Indianapolis, IN

There is concrete data exemplifying the effect that various types of medications can have on inpatient fall risk, but there is little data to support these risks with antihypertensives. With over one-third of the United States population utilizing some type of antihypertensive, there are risks that need to be assessed with their use. The primary objective of this study is to determine if intensifying an antihypertensive drug regimen (defined as an initiation of a new antihypertensive medication or increase in dose of current medication) increases the risk of a patient having a fall while in the inpatient setting compared to patients that were maintained or had a decrease in anti-hypertensive medications. This case-cohort study includes a retrospective chart review on patients over 40 years old who were admitted to St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital or Orthopedic & Spine Center that had a hospital length of stay of at least 48 hours and received at least one antihypertensive medication within 48 hours prior to index date (date of fall or median time to fall for non-fallers). The patient population will consist of a 3:1 ratio of patients who did not fall to patients that did fall within each antihypertensive medication class. The final results of this presentation are currently pending.